1. Field of the invention
The invention concerns a process and a device for mounting two semiconductor components within a single housing. It also applies more particularly to the field of power semiconductors for use in switching operations: thryristors, triode AS semiconductor switches (triac) or power transistors.
2. Description of the prior art
Electronic circuits are already known, especially circuits associating a triode AS semiconductor switch or triac, to a diode AS switch or diac, in which the two components are always connected to each other according to a single wiring diagram. For various reasons, it is not always possible to integrate the two components upon a single semiconductor substrate. Each of the components is thus manufactured separately then encapsulated within its own box or housing. In a produced electronic circuit, each of these two components must thus be in turn plugged in. Doubling these plugging operations involves a loss of time and even of space if the implantation of the components is a delicate job. Since each of the semiconductor components is manufactured from different semiconductor chips, it has been envisaged to incorporate the two chips within a common or single box or housing. However, the two associated components, for example, a triac and a diac are seldom of comparable dimensions. The handling of the smallest component so as to approach it to the largest connection device is a delicate operation. Furthermore, in order to limit the possibility of rejection of the assembly, it is necessary to sort the chips in order to eliminate those which have flaws. This sorting, which is an electric sorting operation, is proportionally more difficult to carry out as the chips are much smaller, due to handling difficulties. Similarly, since a chip is not protected, its direct connections in the housing from another chip provoke a significant decrease in assembling efficiency: small chips deteriorate. The solution that consists of increasing the size of the small chip so that it is easier to handle is not economically viable. It needlessly provokes an increase in the amount of semiconductor material required.